Rotary parlour for milking of animals

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a rotary parlour for milking of animals, especially cows ( 1 ). The parlour includes a rotary platform ( 2 ) having dividing members ( 3 ) arranged to divide the platform ( 2 ) into stalls. The dividing members ( 3 ) have a substantially straight extension between a first end ( 4 ) and a second end ( 5 ). The dividing members ( 3 ) are each connected to a feeding trough ( 7 ) constituting a unit arranged tumably around a vertical axis ( 8 ). A center ( 9 ) of the feeding trough ( 7 ) is located at a distance from a vertical plane ( 10 ) extending through he first ( 4 ) and second ( 5 ) ends of the dividing member ( 3 ). By such an arrangement of the feeding trough ( 7 ) in relation to the dividing member, it is possible for the animals to stand in a naturally straight position and to eat from the feeding troughs ( 7 ) during the milking operation.

THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotary parlour for milking ofanimals, wherein the parlour comprises

[0002] a rotary platform arranged to form a support surface for theanimals,

[0003] stalling means arranged to divide the platform into stallsreceiving individual animals, wherein the stalling means comprisesdividing members having a first end and a second end and being turnablyarranged around a respective vertical axis, wherein the dividingmembers, in a stalling position, are arranged to be located betweenadjacent animals with the first end located at a radially outer positionin relation to the second end,

[0004] control means arranged to control the turning of the dividingmembers around the respective vertical axis and feeding troughs, whicheach has a centre and is connected to a respective one of the dividingmembers.

[0005] Rotary parlours equipped with turnably arranged dividing membersare known. By using turnable dividing members, a very close positioningof cows on the rotary parlour is possible to create. Hereby, the cowsmay, for example, be positioned in a herringbone pattern by the dividingmembers along the platform during the milking operation.

[0006] Rotary parlours equipped with feeding troughs are known. Afeeding trough attracts the cows and facilitates a correct positioningof the cows in the stalls. The milking period is also a suitableoccasion to feed the cows. By the feeding, the cows become relaxedduring the milking operation.

[0007] From GB 1 201 651, it is known to use a rotary parlour equippedwith turnably arranged dividing members carrying feeding troughs. Inthis construction, the dividing members carry the feeding troughs insuch a manner that the cows have to stand in the stalls with their headsturned in relation to the remaining body for eating the food in thefeeding troughs.

[0008] From U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,095,854, 3,765,373 and WO 97/37530, rotaryparlours are known equipped with fixedly arranged dividing memberscarrying feeding troughs. Fixedly arranged dividing members do notenable a close positioning of the cows on the platform as turnablyarranged dividing members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a rotaryparlour equipped with turnable dividing members and feeding troughs in asimple and functional combination, where it is both possible to arrangethe animals close together on the platform and feed the animals in anormal straight position during the milking operation.

[0010] This object is achieved by the rotary parlour initially defined,which is characterised in that the centre of the respective feedingtrough is located at a distance from a vertical plane extending throughthe first and second ends of the respective dividing members. Thepositioning of the feeding troughs at a distance from the dividingmembers makes it possible for the animals to stand in a natural straightposition in the stalls and thus to eat in a convenient manner during themilking operation.

[0011] At the same time, the existence of the turnable dividing membersenables a close positioning of the animals on the platform.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, the centre of therespective feeding trough is located at a straight-lined distance of 0,2to 0,6 meters from the vertical plane. The distance may vary with thekind of animal to be milked on the rotary parlour. In order to obtain anoptimal positioning of the animals on the platform at the same time asthe animals may be able to stand in a natural straight position duringthe milking period, said distance, preferably, is at least half thewidth of the animals. Preferably, the feeding troughs are carried in afixed position in relation to the respective dividing member. Thereby,the feeding troughs and the respective dividing member are turnablyarranged around the vertical axes as a unit.

[0013] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the verticalaxes may be positioned to extend through the respective feeding trough.Such vertical axes may be designed, for example, as vertical posts eachturnably carrying a unit comprising a dividing member and a feedingtrough. Usually, a feeding trough filled with food is heavier than adividing member. Therefore, it is suitable to arrange the vertical axisadjacent to the centre of the feeding trough in order to minimise theloads on the vertical post. The animals may also apply loads to thefeeding trough during the feeding process. Preferably, the vertical axesare positioned to extend through the centre of the feeding trough.Advantageously, the vertical axis of the respective dividing member ispositioned at a shorter distance from the first end than from the secondend. Thereby, the vertical axes and the feeding trough are located in aradially outer position of the platform. The cows face outwards duringthe milking operation and operators work from inside of the platform.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the invention, said controlmeans comprises a first guide means arranged to turn the dividingmembers to the stalling position. The first guide means urges theanimals to a correct position in the stalls by the turning movement ofthe respective dividing member. The first guide means may comprise aguide wheel connected to each dividing member and a guide rail arrangedto extend around at least a part of the platform. Preferably, the guiderail extends around the whole platform except at the places where theanimals enter and leave the platform. Consequently, the first guidemeans urges the cows to a correct stalling position during the wholemilking operation.

[0015] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the controlmeans may comprise second guide means arranged to turn the dividingmembers to an open position enabling entering of the animals to thestalls. In order to enable entrance of the animals to the stalls, it isnecessary to turn the dividing members from the stalling position. Inthe open position, the second end of the dividing member may be locatedin a radially outer position in relation to the first end. In the openposition, the dividing member has a radially outer location in relationto the location in the stalling position. With the dividing memberlocated in such a radially outer position, an animal may enter theplatform and walk around the feeding trough internally on the platform.Thereafter, the animal walks straight ahead and enters the precedingfeeding trough with the head in a radially outer position in relation tothe remaining body. The second guide means may comprise a guide memberarranged to run along a cam surface sloping in such a manner that theguide member is urged to a position corresponding to the open positionof the dividing member.

[0016] According to a further embodiment of the invention, each dividingmember has an essentially straight extension between the first end andthe second end. Thereby, a simple and functional construction of thedividing member is obtained. Preferably, the stalling means is arrangedto position the animals in a herringbone pattern along the annularplatform. By such an arrangement, the animals may be placed closetogether on the platform. Certainly, it is possible to use other kindsof arrangement of the animals on the platform in connection withdividing members.

[0017] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the rotaryparlour comprises an entry and an exit for the animals to and from theplatform, respectively. Advantageously, the entry and exit are locatedat the outer circumference of the platform and located beside eachother. Thus, the animals rotate nearly 360° during the milkingoperation. The entry may have a gate, which is arranged to openperiodically in response to the position of the platform and enableentrance of animals to the platform. Preferably, each stall comprisesmilking means as a cluster. Thus, a simple attachment of the milkingmeans to the animal is obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention is now to be explained more closely bymeans of a preferred embodiment, which is disclosed as an example, andwith reference to the attached drawings.

[0019]FIG. 1 shows a view from above of a rotary parlour for milking ofcows, according to the invention.

[0020]FIG. 2 shows the rotary parlour, in FIG. 1, in a differentlyturned position and

[0021]FIG. 3 shows a side view of a dividing member and a feedingtrough, according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0022]FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rotary parlour for milking of cows 1 fromabove. The parlour comprises a rotary platform 2 having an annularextension. The platform 2 is arranged to form a support surface for theanimals 1. In order to divide the platform 2 into stalls for receivingindividual cows 1, stalling means is arranged along the extension of theplatform 2. The stalling means comprises dividing members 3 having anessentially straight extension between a first end 4 and a second end 5and a rumprail 6 arranged at the inner periphery of the platform 2. Thestalling means is used to positioning the cows 1 in the respectivestalls in a correct position. The rumprail 6 works also as a protectionfor operators and prevents the cows from accidentally falling orstepping out of the platform 2 into the centre of the parlour. In thestalling position, the cows 1 are positioned in a herringbone patternalong the annular platform 2. The cows 1 face outwards and the operatorswork from inside of the annular platform 2. In the stalling position,the dividing members 3 are arranged between adjacent cows 1 with thefirst end 4 located in a radially outer position in relation to thesecond end 5. By using turnable dividing members 3, it is possible toposition the cows 1 close together on the platform 2.

[0023] Each of the dividing members 3 is at the first end 4 fixedlyconnected to a feeding trough 7. The feeding troughs 7 attract the cowsand facilitate the positioning of the cows in the stalls. Consequently,the respective dividing member 3 and feeding trough 7 constitute a unit.The unit is turnably arranged around a vertical axis 8. The verticalaxis 8 extends through a centre 9 of the feeding trough 7. The centre 9of the feeding troughs 7 is arranged at a distance from a vertical plane10 extending through the first 4 and second 5 ends of the dividingmember 3. The centre 9 of the respective feeding troughs 6 may bepositioned at a straight-lined distance of about half the width of a cow1 from said vertical plane 10. At such a distance, an optimal closepositioning of the cows 1 is obtained at the same time as the cows 1 maybe able to stand in a natural straight position and to eat during themilking operation.

[0024] The rotary parlour comprises control means arranged to controlthe turning of the units comprising a dividing member 3 and a feedingtrough 7 around the vertical axes 8. The control means comprises firstguide means arranged to turn the dividing members 3 to the stallingposition. The first guide means comprise a guide wheel 11 fixedlyattached to each of the feeding trough 7 and a guide rail 12 attached toan outer wall 13 arranged around the platform 2 except at an entry 14and an exit 15 for the cows 3. Thus, the guide rail 12 has an extensionaround substantially the whole outer wall 13. The entry 14 and exit 15are located adjacent to each other at an outer circumference of theplatform 2. The guide wheels 11 are arranged to roll along the guiderail 12. The guide wheels 11 are placed at a distance from therespective vertical axis 8 around which the respective unit is turnablyarranged. The guide wheels 11 are attached to the feeding troughs 7 in aposition so that the guide wheels 11 in engagement with the guide rails12 are arranged to turn and keep the dividing member 3 in the stallingposition. Consequently, the dividing members 3 are substantiallyarranged to be kept in the stalling position except when the dividingmembers 3 are in a position at the entry 14 and the exit 15.

[0025] The control means comprises also second guide means arranged tocontrol the turning of the dividing members 3 when the guide wheels 11are not in contact with the guide rail 12. The second guide means isarranged to turn the dividing member 3 from the stalling position to anopen position enabling the entering of the cows 1 to the stalls. FIG. 3shows a side view of a unit comprising a dividing member 3 and a feedingtrough 7. The second guide means comprises a sleeve 16 rigidly connectedto a bottom part of each feeding trough 7. Each sleeve 16 and therebyeach dividing member 3 and feeding trough 7 are turnably arranged arounda vertical post 17. Each vertical post 17 is, at a bottom part, fixedlyattached to the platform 2. A guide member in form of a pin 18 isfixedly arranged on each post 17 at a suitable position. The pin 18 isarranged to slide along a cam surface 19 arranged on a bottom part ofthe sleeve 16. The cam surface 19 is sloping in such a manner that thepin 18 is urged, by the weight of the feeding trough 7, towards an upperposition of the cam surface 19. The upper position corresponds to astalling position of the dividing member 3. By means of the pin 18 andthe cam surface 19, the dividing member 3 is arranged to turn around thevertical axis 8 to an open position when the guide wheel 11 is not inengagement with the guide rail 12.

[0026] The exit 15 is located adjacent to the entry 14. Consequently,the cows rotate nearly 3600 during the milking operation. Each of thestalls comprises milking means, as a cluster 20, which is attached tothe cow 1 by an operator after the cow 1 has entered the stall. Thecluster 20 is automatically removed before the cow leaves the stall andwalks out through the exit 15.

[0027] The rotary parlour operates as follows. The cows 1, which are tobe milked, are guided in a row through the entry 14. The rotary parlour,showed in FIG. 1, has a dividing member 3 extending across the entry 14and thereby preventing the leading cow 1 from entering the platform 2.In FIG. 2, the dividing members 3 are rotated forwardly so that thedividing member 3 provides a free passage for the leading cow 1 to enterthe platform 2. Alternatively, an openable gate may control the entry ofthe cows 1 to the platform 2. The cow 1 enters the platform 2 betweenthe above-mentioned dividing member 3 and the following dividing member3′ and feeding trough 7′, as seen in FIG. 2. The dividing member 3 ishere in an open position with the second end 5 located in a radiallyouter position in relation to the first end 4. In this open position,the dividing member 3 leaves a free passage internally of the feedingtrough 7. The cow 1 walks through this passage internally around thefeeding trough 7 and then straight-ahead towards the previous feedingtrough 7″. After the cow 1 has entered the previous feeding trough 7″,the guide wheel 11, which is connected to the dividing member 3, gets inengagement with the guide rail 12. Initially, the guide rail 12 has asloping surface, which in contact with the guide wheel 11 initiates aturning motion of the dividing member 3 around the vertical axis 8 fromthe open position to the stalling position. By that motion, the dividingmember 3 urges the cow 1 to a correct position in the stall.

[0028] In the stalls, the cow 1 faces outwards and an operator attachesa cluster 20 to the cow 1 from the inside of the annular platform 2. Thecows 1 are arranged in a herringbone pattern along the annular platform2 during the milking operation. The cows 1 rotate nearly 3600 on theplatform 2 during the milking operation. The cows 1 stand in a naturalstraight position and eat from the food in the feeding troughs 7 duringthe milking operation. Before a cow 1 reaches the exit 15, the cluster20 is automatically removed from the cow 1. Thereafter, the cow 1 leavesthe stall and the platform 2 through the passage between two adjacentfeeding troughs 7, as seen in FIG. 1. The guide rail 12 ends at the endof the outer wall 13 adjacent to the exit 15. The guide wheel 11 getsout of engagement with the guide rail 12 and the dividing member 3 isfree to turn from the stalling position. After the cow 1 has left theplatform 2, the second guide means is able to turn the dividing member 3to the open position in order to enable entrance of a new cow 1 to thestall.

[0029] The invention is not restricted to the described embodiments inthe figures, but may be varied freely within the scope of the claims.Other types of control means than the above-mentioned may, for example,be used.

1. A rotary parlour for milking of animals (1), wherein the parlourcomprises a rotary platform (2) arranged to form a support surface forthe animals (1), stalling means arranged to divide the platform (2) intostalls receiving individual animals (1), wherein the stalling meanscomprise dividing members (3) having a first end (4) and a second end(5) and being turnably arranged around a respective vertical axis (8),wherein the dividing members (3), in a stalling position, are arrangedto be located between adjacent animals (1) with the first end (4)located at a radially outer position in relation to the second end (5),control means arranged to control the turning of the dividing members(3) around the respective vertical axis (8) and feeding troughs (7),which each has a centre (9) and is connected to a respective one of thedividing members (3), characterised in that the centre (9) of eachfeeding trough (7) is located at a distance from a vertical plane (10)extending through the first (4) and second (5) ends of the respectivedividing member (3).
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterised inthat the centre (9) of the respective feeding trough (7) is located at astraight-lined distance of 0,2 to 0,6 meters from the vertical plane(10).
 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that thefeeding troughs (7) are rigidly connected to the respective dividingmember (3).
 4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims,characterised in that the vertical axes (8) are positioned to extendthrough the respective feeding trough (7).
 5. A device according toclaim 4, characterised in that the vertical axes (8) are positioned toextend through the centre (9) of the respective feeding trough (7).
 6. Adevice according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised inthat the vertical axis (8) of the respective dividing member (3) ispositioned at a shorter distance from the first end (4) than from thesecond end (5).
 7. A device according to any one of the precedingclaims, characterised in that said control means comprises first guidemeans arranged to turn the dividing members (3) to the stallingposition.
 8. A device according to claim 7, characterised in that saidfirst guide means comprises a guide wheel (11) connected to eachdividing member (3) and a guide rail (12) arranged to extend around atleast a part of the platform (2).
 9. A device according to any one ofthe preceding claims, characterised in that said control means comprisesecond guide means arranged to turn the dividing members (3) to an openposition enabling entering of the animals (1) to the stalls.
 10. Adevice according to claim 9, characterised in that the second end (5) ofthe dividing member (3) is located in a radially outer position inrelation to the first end (4) in said open position.
 11. A deviceaccording to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that said second guidemeans comprise a guide member (18) arranged to run along a cam surface(19) sloping in such a manner that the guide member (18) is urged to aposition of the cam surface (19) corresponding to the open position ofthe dividing member (3).
 12. A device according to any one of thepreceding claims characterised in that each dividing member (3) has anessentially straight extension between the first (4) and second (5) end.13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterisedin that the stalling means is arranged to position the animals (1) in aherringbone pattern along the platform (2).
 14. A device according toany one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rotaryparlour comprises an entry (14) for the animals (1) to the platform (2).15 A device according to any one of the preceding claims characterisedin that the rutary parlour comprises an exit (15) for the animals (1)from the platform (2).
 16. A device according to any one of thepreceding claims, characterised in that each stall comprises milkingmeans (20).